Fresno, CA: Dole Food Company is facing a wage and hour class-action lawsuit, over allegations it fails to pay its employees for the time they spend dressing and undressing in sanitary clothing, which they must wear during work. According to the lawsuit "The time that Dole requires its employees to work without compensation on a daily basis is substantial."
The lawsuit alleges specifically that dressing in protective gear and sanitizing hands and shoe soles are food safety practices that workers are required to use to comply with Dole' policies. "All of these activities are performed for the benefit of Dole,"the lawsuit states.
Lead plaintiff, Jose Luis Hernandez, who worked in Dole' Soledad plant, alleges Dole also routinely violated lunch and rest break requirements because employees were required to "don and doff"their gear, and that time shouldn't be considered part of the employees' break time. "Dole knew or should have known that its policies and practices were expressly contrary to California law and unfair,"the lawsuit states.
Jose Luis Hernandez is represented by Chandler Law.
